Super Regionals Baseball Preview: #7 PCC at #5 El Camino

The No. 7-seeded Pasadena City College baseball team plays in the Super Regionals this Friday-Saturday (and Sunday if necessary) May 12-14 at No. 5 El Camino College. In their first appearance in the postseason in 45 years, the Lancers swept Riverside City College in the opening round while El Camino needed three games to eliminate Glendale last weekend.

The Lancers are in new territory as the regional playoffs structure has changed quite a bit since they won their last state title in 1967. 

The following is a thumbnail preview of this best-of-3 game series between the two South Coast Conference champion teams:

• Pasadena, 26-13, SCC North Division Champions, CCCSIA State No. 15 ranking,
  Head Coach: Pat McGee, SCC North Coach of the Year, 3rd Season
• El Camino, 35-8, SCC South Division Co-Champions, CCCSIA State No. 7 ranking,
  Head Coach: Nate Fernley, 11th Season 
• State Baseball Titles: PCC, 1950, 1967; El Camino, none
• 2017 Head-to-Head Meetings: El Camino, 2-0 v. PCC, 4-3 on Mar. 2; 9-3 on Mar. 4
• Overall Head-to-Head Meetings Between Coaches (2015-17): El Camino, 7-1
• Longest Win Streak in 2017: El Camino 25 games (Feb. 22-April 13);
  PCC 6 games (Jan. 27-Feb. 4)
• Most Recent Games: PCC 7-1 in last 8; El Camino 2-6 in last 8
• 1-Run Games: PCC 8-4; El Camino 4-2 
• Games Scoring 10 Runs or More: El Camino 15 (14-1), PCC 13 (12-1)
• Top Players: Lancers
  Jeremy Conant, SCC North MVP, first baseman, .446, 3 HR, 44 RBI, 
  Alex Briggs, All-SCC 2nd Team shortstop, .283, 11 doubles, 21 RBI, 110 fielding assists,
  Race Gardner, All-SCC 1st Team pitcher, 6-4, 4.24 ERA
  Shane Ogata, All-SCC 1st Team rightfielder, .363, 6 triples, 3 HR, 27 RBI
  Andres Kim, All-SCC 1st Team second baseman, .336, 11 doubles, 24 RBI
• Top Players: Warriors
  Trevor Casanova, SCC South MVP, catcher, .373, 8 HR, 6 triples, 39 RBI
  Taylor Rashi, SCC South Pitcher of the Year, 10-3, 1.89 ERA, 118 Ks leads state
  Cassius Hamm, All-SCC 1st Team pitcher, 10-3, 3.14 ERA, 110 Ks 2nd in state
  Ryan Eastburn, All-SCC 1st Team designated hitter, .338, 43 RBI
  Ty Conrad, All-SCC 1st Team leftfielder, .328, 35 RBI 
• Hot Hitters In Playoffs
  PCC: 3b Jose Jimenez 5-for-9, .555, 4 RBI; Ogata 3-for-7, .429, 1 HR, 3 RBI; 
  Conant 4-for-10, .400.
  El Camino: RF Cody Wissler, 8-for-13, .615, 3 RBI; Casanova 4-for-11, .364, 1 HR, 3 RBI
• Sharp Pitchers in Playoffs
  PCC: Gardner, 9 IP, W, CG, 7-hitter, 2 ER, 5 Ks
  Nick Esparza, 6 IP in relief, W, 7 H, 1 ER, 8 K;
  El Camino: Rashi, 9 IP, W, CG, 3-hitter, 1 ER, 10 K 
  Trevor Talpas, 6.1 IP in relief, W, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 K
  TEAM STATS 
• Team Batting Average
  El Camino .308 (state #11), PCC .301 (state #17)
• Playoff Batting Average
  PCC .329,  El Camino .303
• Team Runs Scored Per Game
  El Camino 8.4 (state #4), PCC 7.6 (state #13)
• Playoff Runs Scored Per Game
  El Camino 9.7, PCC 7.5 
• Team Runs Allowed Per Game
  El Camino 3.9 (state #9), PCC 5.4 (state #35)
• Playoff Runs Allowed Per Game
  El Camino 5.0, PCC 6.5 
• Team ERA
  El Camino 3.11 (state #8), PCC 4.41 (state #49)
• Playoff ERA
  El Camino 4.15, PCC 5.00 
• Team Fielding Percentage
  El Camino .966 (state #16), PCC .963 (state #22)
• Playoff Fielding Percentage
  PCC .964, El Camino .929